


Never Too Late

by morganoconner



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Claiming, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Marking, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-15
Updated: 2010-06-15
Packaged: 2017-10-18 06:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/186072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morganoconner/pseuds/morganoconner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Second chances, and the things you can do with them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Too Late

She’ll never know how he does it, never know what magicks he works, what deals he makes, what favors he promises. All she’ll know is that there was nothing but an endless void of darkness surrounding her, minutes or an eternity after Michael destroyed her, and then suddenly there’s light, and heat, and she’s torn away from the desolate nothingness and thrust back into sudden mortality.

And when she opens her eyes, painfully blinking away from the harsh light, Crowley is in front of her, kneeling on the ground, hand outstretched but not touching, as though unsure of his welcome. She knows why. She remembers when she was given her mission to kill Sam, remembers being allowed back down to Earth with decades, centuries of conditioning smothering her thoughts.

She remembers the harsh words she said to her demon, remembers threatening him with the very grace she’d once promised herself to always _protect_ him with. She remembers the way his face had shut down, the way his eyes had darkened with his murmured, “As you wish, darling.”

“Crowley?” she says now, her voice sounding raspy as she struggles to sit up. Dizziness hits her in a wave, but before she can fall back, his arms are around her, steadying her.

“Slowly, love,” he says gently. “That body is brand new, give it some time to adjust yet, hmm?”

She can’t help the way she unconsciously leans into him, the way she takes such quiet comfort in his arms. She doesn’t deserve it, or him, not after the things she’s done or tried to do, but oh, Father, she _needs_ it.

“That’ll be enough of that,” he admonishes, tilting her head to look at him. “We both know you weren’t yourself, and God knows I’ve no idea how to hold anything against you.”

He always was too good at reading her. “The apocalypse…” she starts, only to feel his finger press to her mouth.

“It’s over, Anna. It’s all over. Your family is back home, I sincerely doubt we’ll see them again for some time.”

Her eyes have gone wide. “The Winchesters?” She has so much to make amends for…

“A bit worse for wear, but they’ll survive, as they’ve developed a habit of doing.” His lips quirk up a little. “Only one bit of business left to take care of, and then we can go home, love.”

Home… home is such a foreign concept. She doesn’t have a home, not anymore, and she’s _mortal_ now, human, fragile.

He hesitates only the briefest moment before leaning forward, pressing his lips softly to hers. “Your home is with me, love. Always. If that’s something you still want.”

Her eyes fill, and a tear falls unchecked down her cheek. He brushes it away with his thumb. “Crowley…”

“A simple yes or no will suffice.”

She laughs then, is helpless to do anything else, and it’s fitting, because he’s the only one who’s ever been able to make her laugh like that. She wraps her arms around him, buries her face in his neck. “Yes, please yes.”

No sooner have the words passed her lips than there is a bright flare of pain against her lower back, where Crowley’s hand is pressed. She jerks, pulls back with a startled look. “What…”

“I will not lose you again,” he says, his voice a low growl. She reaches back, feels along the skin at the base of her spine, skin raw but already healing. She recognizes the symbol seared there, and she blinks at the demon in shock.

“Did you just…”

“You’re mine, Anna,” he says, all calm assurance and soft amusement. “May as well have it all official-like.”

“ _Consent_ , Crowley! It’s a big deal among angels!”

“Ah, but I had your consent, before Heaven got their hands on you, remember. And also darling, if you’ve failed to notice… you’re no longer an angel.” He leans forward again, brushes his lips across the shell of her ear. “You’re free.”

She pauses, her breath caught as she realizes that it’s true. She has another chance at _life_ , and she has her demon by her side on top of it, and she can begin to make amends for all the wrongs she committed in the name of Heaven. “Oh…”

“Shall we go now?”

She no longer has wings to carry them, but she thinks she prefers the way she’s allowed to hold him as he moves them between the shadows, as he takes her to the only place she ever wants to call _home_.


End file.
